It’s Officially Pale Season & You Don’t Have to Give in

I have been so blessed to have an olive complexion that can get super tan super easily. But what’s even more of a blessing is how it looks when the suns away. That lovely olive undertone really shines through my paleness leading to many compliments like “Are you okay? You don’t look so good”, “Rough night last night?”, “Here’s some hand sanitizer. Don’t want you spreading that cold”. Despite how good that makes me feel about myself I personally prefer to have some color.

Like most ladies (and men) self tanner has always scared the crap out of me. And it didn’t help when the advocates for it had streaks down their legs, an oompaloompa hue, pale spots behind their ears, and lastly the grossly stained palms. I finally admitted and accepted that tanning beds are bad for you a few years ago. Needless to say about a year ago I was fed up with all those winter compliments I get and braved a trip to Sephora for a self tanner. Asked a million questions, poor woman, and finally decided on St. Tropez Self Tanning Mousse. I bought the applicator mitt also. (not necessary)

That night I exfoliated the hell out of my body, read the directions about 7 times, and prayed it would work. The bottle said to leave it on for 4 hours before showering. But four hours later it was 10 o’clock and I was about to go out. I washed my face, applied my makeup, and prayed (again).

Got a tiny bit of color, all even, zero signs of using a self tanner and from that point on I was hooked. And realized just a few easy steps were really all you needed to guarantee a good self tan every time. No matter the product you use (for the most part)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Lotion

Exfoliator

Self Tanner

Whitening toothpaste

STEPS (BEFORE):

Exfoliate

Moisturize any dry areas (i.e. knees, elbows, feet) and if you have light hair your hairline and eyebrows

Apply self tanner in a circular motion smell sections at a time

Remove self tanner from palms by washing your hands and then rubbing the whitening toothpaste on them and rinse off

STEPS (AFTER):

Exfoliate every other day

Moisturize every day (2x daily if you can)

Apply self tanner using same before steps to keep the color or to deepen it

TIPS

You can just do your face if you want. Just blend it down your neck front and back, behind your ears, etc

Best to apply tanner before bed because if you need to you can shower in the morning and whether you do or not you’re allowing the color to set (sleep on dark sheets just in case, some self tanners can stain)

Don’t forget the back of your hands! After you use the whitening toothpaste put lotion on your hands blending your fingers and wrist.

*Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate *Blend, Blend Blend*

MY FAVORITES:

TOP: BANANA BOAT DEEP DARK SELF TANNER LOTION

LOVE LOVE LOVE. Actually very gradual, citrus scent, very light texture, soaks in and dries quickly, very buildable. And it’s only $7!!

St. Tropez Self Tanning Mousse

I LOVE this. Gives a subtle color, buildable, incredibly lightweight, so easy to apply, showering off leaves no chance for splotchiness, great for beginners (skip the mitt though, wastes product and tears easily)

St. Tropez Dark Self Tanning Mousse:

It is very green so you cannot go out when you have this setting. But the color payoff is great. The green hue combats any orange of a self tanner. Same great qualities of the original just do it before bed and shower it off in the morning (works really well with an olive complexion)

Bare Escentuals Faux Tan Body:

I really like the smell of this actually. It can give you a nice dark color if you use it often enough, blends well. I use it on my face all the time but it might be a bit heavy for someone who is acne prone.

Jergens Express Natural Glow

More gradual but works none the less. A little heavy for the face if you’re acne prone. I put it on my legs and feet all the time when they need some color and it works super quickly.

MY NOT SO FAVORITES:

St. Tropez Gradual Self Tanning Lotion:

Heavy, didn’t give me any color

Bare Escentuals Faux Tan Face

Didn’t give any color

Xen-Tan Dark Luxe Face:

Didn’t give any color

L’Oreal Sublime Self Tanner Medium:

Entirely too many sparkles

Jergens Natural Glow Face:

Didn’t give me any color

*Note: if you are fairer and have a pinker complexion the ones that didn’t give me color may work for you

My goal with this blog is to offend everyone in the world at least once with my words… so no one has a reason to have a heightened sense of themselves. We are all ignorant, we are all found wanting, we are all bad people sometimes.